To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest from Members/Officers in

accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008.

None.

To receive for approval the minutes of 20/06/2018.

RESOLVED:   That the minutes of the meeting of Council of 20 June 2018 be approved as a true and accurate record.   

 (i) Mayor (or person presiding)

(ii) Members of the Cabinet

(iii) Chief Executive

(iv) Monitoring Officer

Mayor

The Mayor informed Council of the official engagements which he and his Consort had attended in the past month which included attending a blessing of Betws Primary School and the 100^th birthday celebration of Mrs Elsie Criddle.  The Mayor and Consort had attended three school production shows and the Festival of Learning, the symposium and the Bridgend learner’s day.  They had also attended the INSPIRED for life awards and a RAF presentation with Madelaine Moon MP.  Further events had been attended with Pyle and Kenfig community youth service, Judging a ” just giving” competition at Pencoed comprehensive, Dogs Trust Summer Fun Day, Key stage 3 awards at CCYD, record of Achievement Ceremony at Ysgol Bryn Castell, Samaritans AGM, Brackla Fun Day, Maesteg Children’s Choir Annual Concert, Little fingers Kidz family fun day in Evanstown, Happy 4^th July Event at Vine Christian Centre, South Wales Fire and Rescue service awards, Caerphilly Civic service, Samtampa & Prince Edward of Wales Exhibition, Splice and Child family project, Bridgend County Show,  Pencoed Choir Annual concert, Neath Port Talbot Civic Service, Tondu Primary Citizenship Award Ceremony, Celebration evening at Ysgol Bryn Castell.     

Deputy Leader 

The Deputy Leader informed Members of the efforts to boost recycling in the Wildmill area to tackle issues with waste and fly tipping around communal bin areas, with the provision of additional recycling bins in the Tairfelin area to create new dedicated collection points for refuse and purple bags.  Similar improvements have already had a positive effect in the Glanffornwg part of the estate, where recycling points were moved to make them more accessible and easier to use.  He also informed Members that education officers have been speaking to residents to raise awareness throughout the community.  Two additional recycling stations will be added at Glanffornwg.  By the end of the summer, improvements will have been made in all parts of Wildmill, and the impact that new collection points have made on residents in Maesyfelin and Trem Garth will be reviewed.

The Deputy Leader announced that Keep Wales Tidy had awarded Green Flag status to eight facilities within the County Borough to mark the high standard of park and green spaces at Bryngarw Country Park, Coychurch Crematorium, Maesteg Welfare Park, Wilderness Lake in Porthcawl, Glanrhyd Hospital, Caerau Market Garden, the Badgers Brook Allotments and the Wilderness Allotment Association.

The Deputy Leader also announced that positive feedback had been received from the recent Festival of Learning.  The festival had been designed to showcase new and innovative learning and teaching methods, and encouraged schools to share their experiences and knowledge while establishing new training opportunities for teachers and staff.  More than 800 teachers, pupils, educators, trainers and employers gathered for the festival, and up to 100 school-based workshops were held which demonstrated how latest modern classroom developments can be used to benefit local children.  The Festival featured a keynote address by the 

from Children’s Commissioner Dr Sally Holland, and also included a symposium which focused upon how the health and well-being  ...  view the full minutes text for item 204.

The Leader reported that the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services Alun Davies AM made a statement in the Assembly yesterday afternoon confirming the withdrawal of the merger map and his intention, following consultation feedback, to set up a working group chaired by Derek Vaughan MEP to consider how to take forward the reform agenda.  The working group will have a majority local government membership and seek to agree what is possible in terms of reform, through greater collaboration or voluntary mergers, and ensure that adequate resources and powers are provided to local government to ensure the sustainability of local public services.  This approach had been welcomed and supported by the Leader of the WLGA Cllr Debbie Wilcox as it offered a return to the more collaborative approach to reform, broadly agreed with Mark Drakeford AM when he was Cabinet Secretary for Local Government.  The Leader hoped some progress can be made by early Spring.  He stated it was vital that financial sustainability is considered alongside reform, as the current crisis in large English County Councils shows austerity does not respect scale particularly as a consequence of the spiralling cost of social care.

The Leader announced that the Cabinet Secretary’s statement yesterday also confirmed that Welsh Government will introduce a local government bill as planned, to introduce voluntary merger powers, wider new powers for councils as well as votes for 16 & 17 year olds and other electoral reforms. 

All Council Leaders will discuss these developments and the draft terms of reference further at Thursday’s meeting of the WLGA Executive Board.  He would keep Members informed of progress made.

The Leader also announced that as part of the pioneering Caerau mine-water scheme, children from schools in the Llynfi Valley have been learning about how the heat generated will be used to warm 150 homes.  Around 200 pupils had taken part in recent workshops designed to explain the science, technology, engineering and mathematics behind the scheme and also learned about the valley’s rich industrial history, and how mine workings at Caerau, Bryn Navigation, Garth, Coegnant, Oakwood, Maesteg and St John’s could now be used to provide a safe, continuous, efficient and cost-effective form of heat for the local community. 

The Leader announced that along with the Cabinet Member Communities, he had met the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths about how Welsh Government can help progress the minewater scheme to the next stage, and the potential as part of the Bridgend District Heat Network to develop the latest in IT infrastructure to support businesses in Bridgend town at the same time.  He stated that the Council is also part of a consortium with Cenin to further develop its energy park at Stormy Down.  This resulted in a visit from the Secretary of State for Wales and the UK Government’s Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth Claire Perry MP who was also very positive about the innovative energy initiatives in Bridgend.  He also informed Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 205.

To be accompanied by a presentation by the Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing.  

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing presented the Social Services Annual Report for 2017/18 and requested Council note the judgements reached locally about social care services in Bridgend.  She stated that this is the ninth Annual Report of the Director of Social Services and is based on the authority’s self-assessment of the performance and delivery of social care services. 

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed Council that from October 2016, the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) changed the way they inspect children’s and adult social services and authorities are inspected using the wellbeing outcomes of the Act       

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing presented a summary of performance in Adult Social Care whereby 5177 adults had been supported in the community; the number of people who received a Telecare package had increased from 2921 in the previous year to 3162 in the current year.  Demand for services in Adult Social Care had reduced slightly in 2017/18 with 7604 referrals being received compared to 7623 referrals received, in 2016/17.  The number of people supported in residential / nursing care had reduced from 1493 to 986.  The number of people diverted from mainstream services to help them remain independent for as long as possible had reduced from 167 in the previous year to 116 in the current year, plus 857 attendances at the drop in clinic at ARC. 

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing presented a summary of performance in Children’s Social Care, whereby 6677 new contacts had been received during the year.  The number of children on the child protection register had reduced from 175 in the previous year to 169 in the current year.  The number of looked after children had reduced from 98 in the previous year to 70 in the current year and the number of carers receiving support from the local authority and its partners at 31^st March had reduced from 131 to 116. 

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing highlighted the key actions for 2018/19.  

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed Council that the authority had commissioned a short film through the Western Bay partnership of the experiences of staff and service users which Members then viewed.

A member of Council questioned what had been the negative impact of the Council making savings of £12m in social care.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing commented that the negative side of the savings made had not yet been seen as the Directorate had modernised and transformed the way services are delivered by enabling people to remain independent.  She stated that the development of the extra care model is a more cost effective way of delivering services than residential care. 

A member of Council asked whether the outturn for the Directorate will be on target.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed Council that the financial plan is very closely monitored and good progress is being made.  The financial plan is reported to the Chief Executive and Section  ...  view the full minutes text for item 206.

The Monitoring Officer advised Council of the outcome of a review of the political balance of the Authority resulting from a change to the membership of the Independent Alliance Group and sought approval of the revised political balance.  She also sought a nomination from the Plaid Cymru Group to sit on Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 and for the Llynfi Independents Group to relinquish a seat on that Committee, to reflect a required change in the political balance of Committees.     

The Monitoring Officer informed Council that following the review of political balance, the membership of committees has been updated to reflect the composition of the Council.

RESOLVED            That Council:

(a)          Noted the change to the political composition of the Council;

(b)          Approved the allocation of seats to political groups in accordance with the political balance rules as set out in Appendix 1 of the report;

Appointed Councilor T Thomas from the Plaid Cymru Group to sit on Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 to replace the relinquished Llynfi Independents seat.  

The Monitoring Officer sought approval to amend the Constitution to incorporate the revised Contract Procedure Rules and amend the Scheme of Delegation of Functions in relation to Council functions allocated to each Chief Officer. 

The Monitoring Officer reported that a number of changes a number of changes have been made to the existing Contract Procedure Rules to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and to modernise the way the Council procure goods, services and works.  She stated that Cabinet at its meeting on 19 June 2018 approved the revised Contract Procedure Rules to take effect from 1^st August 2018.  

RESOLVED            That Council:

·         Noted the revised Contract Procedure Rules to take effect from 1^st August 2018;

·         Approved the amendment to the Constitution to incorporate the revised Contract Procedure Rules;

Approved the amendment to the Scheme of Delegations as set out in paragraph 4.4 of this report.

The Chief Executive reported on a proposal to establish a Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal (CCRCD).  He stated that the CCRD Joint Cabinet at its meeting on 20 November 2017 considered a report which detailed proposals for the establishment of a Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  It was subsequently determined by the Joint Cabinet that this authority would be the Host Authority. 

The Chief Executive apprised Council of the background and information on the proposal together with the draft Terms of Reference.  He stated that a report containing details of the proposal would be considered by each of the participating authorities’ appropriate scrutiny committee prior to it being endorsed by Council in accordance with Statutory Guidance, issued under the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011.  

He informed Council that the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 18 June 2018 had considered the Regional Joint Cabinet report, the draft Terms of Reference and the nomination of a non-executive Member to sit on the JOSC.

 RESOLVED            That Council:

(a)         Considered the report and appendices and approved the establishment of a Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal (CCRD JOSC);

(b)          Approved the nomination of Councillor J-P B Blundell to represent the authority on the CCRD JOSC;

Noted that it will be a decision for each of the ten authorities if it wished to establish the JOSC proposed.        

Increasing Council tax, axing subsidies to half of Council support bus routes, 60% cut to the budget of public toilets and smarter use of resources (as it’s called) – can the Cabinet Member let the Council know what are we offering the residents of the Bridgend County in return?

Question to the Cabinet Member Communities from Councillor A Hussain

“Increasing Council Tax, axing subsidies to half of Council support bus routes, 60% cut to the budget of public toilets and smarter use of resources (as it’s called) – can the Cabinet Member let the Council know what we are offering the residents of the Bridgend County in return.”

Response

“The Authority is still spending in excess of £250m net providing a considerable number of different public services, and despite the ongoing austerity measures and significant budget savings local authorities such as BCBC have had to contend with for what is now a considerable number of years, we continue in the main to deliver both good and valuable services to the public, and have in the majority of cases continued to do so, even if this is by finding alternative ways of delivering such services (despite having less resource to do so.) For further details regarding the extent of the Council’s budget allocation and service areas this has been committed to, as well as where cuts have been made in order to achieve the required savings it has had to make under the MTFS, the Member can refer to the report entitled Medium Term Financial Strategy 2018-19 to 2021-22 and Council Tax 2018-19, that was approved by full Council at its meeting dated 28 February 2018.”

Councillor Hussain asked a supplementary question in that he believed that the Cabinet Member had failed to ask the question, as in winter months, residents complain about the gritting of roads.  In summer months, residents complain about grass cutting and throughout the year, residents complain about potholes.  He asked the Cabinet Member what are the priorities and how are the issues being tackled. 

The Cabinet Member Social Services and Early Help on behalf of the Cabinet Member Communities commented that the Council had to make smarter use of its resources and work as efficiently as possible.  He stated that the Council has one of the leanest management structures of local authorities in Wales in having 3 Corporate Directors.  He informed Council that 75% of the authority’s budget is staff costs and it was likely the Council would have to find an additional £7m to meet staff and teachers pay award and demographic pressures.  He stated that Cabinet would have to make difficult decisions in relation to spending on services, whether to close some services or reduce spending in some areas.  He urged Members to seek the support of AMs in seeking the end of austerity measures.

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.